It’s film festival time again! This year 200+ shorts, features and documentaries will unspool at area theatres as part of The Philadelphia Film Festival: CineFest 2009. Here are six titles to catch—or avoid.
Revanche
Nevermind the plot contrivances in Revanche, this mesmerizing tale about a criminal’s plans gone awry is memorable for not taking the easy way out. Alex (Johannes Krisch) is coping with life after prison when he plans a scheme to save Tamara (Irina Potapenko) a prostitute he loves. Of course, things don’t go as planned, and Alex soon finds himself hiding out back home in another tricky situation—caring for his elderly grandfather (Hannes Thanheiser) and warding off the advances of a comely neighbor Suzanne (Ursula Strauss). Unbeknownst to Suzanne, Alex has an unlikely—and unfortunate—connection to her husband. Revanche ratchets up the tension as simmering passions come to a boil and ugly truths comes out. Finely acted by the entire ensemble cast, this Oscar-nominated drama is worth a look. Friday, March 27, 4:45pm, Ritz East; Saturday, March 28, 9:30pm, Ritz 5.
Left Bank
The sleek Belgium thriller Left Bank will engage viewers as easily as Marie (Eline Kuppens), a competitive runner forced to take a time out, is sucked into her intense relationship with Bobby (Matthias Schoenaerts). Marie’s mother does not trust Bobby—well, he is a used car salesman and an expert archer—but Marie thinks she is falling in love with him. However, Marie’s attitude starts to change when she discovers some unsettling things. For starters, there’s the fact that he failed to mention that their apartment belonged to a woman who has disappeared, and there is a nasty black pool of goo in the building’s cellar. Then there are the very scary signals her body is sending—from her strange menstruations to a worsening knee injury that starts growing, um, hair. Left Bank becomes more dreadful as Marie makes further discoveries that may jeopardize her life. If the film is more suspenseful than scary, director Pieter Van Hees strikes just the right tone of quiet, unsettling menace. Kuppens is gives a full-bodied performance as Marie, and viewers will sympathize with her. Alas, the film’s stunning twist ending is as unexpected as it is head-scratching. Friday, March 27, 9:30pm, I-House; Monday, March 30, 6:15pm, Prince.
No Boundaries
This earnest ultra low-budget drama, set for no apparent reason in Philly, depicts the romance that develops between an illegal immigrant Isabel (Dani Garza) and a Christopher (Mark McGraw, Tug’s son), a corrupt I.C.E. (immigration and customs enforcement) agent. No Boundaries might have been a worthy social issues effort, but screenwriter Violet Mendoza insists on using clichés for dialogue, stereotypes for characters—sassy African American Gloria (Tatiana St. Phard); horndog Gene (John D’Alonzo)—and sappy music montages to convey “romance”. Indifferently directed by Jake Willing, both the film’s love story and the police drama are wholly unconvincing. The broad performances by the entire cast are often unintentionally funny, as are the “nightmare” sequences that show Isabel is haunted. The Philadelphia locations—the Broad and Pattison subway station!—may be fun to spot, but there are too few other reasons to watch No Boundaries. Saturday, March 28, 7pm, I-House
It’s Not Me, I Swear
A fantastic film—perhaps one of the best in the fest—about Leon (Antoine L’Écuyer), a10-year-old in 1960s Canada who causes trouble as a way of coping with life’s disappointments. He is especially upset by his mother’s (Suzanne Clement) abandonment of the family when she departs for Greece, possibly never planning to return. Leon acts out by breaking into houses, and conducting other routine mischief. Viewers will cheer on this smart and sympathetic hero—even when he does terrible things—because the film squarely sides with his character; he is lost in an adult world and forced to grow up too fast. Leon’s survival tactics suggest he will overcome any situation he encounters even though he consistently puts himself in harm’s way. (His best defense mechanism is to fake a suicide) It’s Not Me, I Swear captures the fragility of Leon’s difficult childhood with darkly comic glee and several touching moments that will delight audiences. Furthermore, there is a nice contrast between Leon and his older brother Jerome’s (Gabriel Maille) malaise, as well as Leon and a troubled neighborhood girl Lea (Catherine Faucher) that add a dimension to his own struggle. L’Écuyer gives a phenomenal performance in a difficult role. Don’t miss this one. Saturday, March 28, 7:30pm, The Bridge; Sunday, March 29, 4:30pm, Ritz 5; Tuesday, March 31, 7pm, Bryn Mawr.
Don’t Look Down
Eloy (Leandro Stivelman), coping with the death of his father, experiences visions of his dad’s spirit. One night, while sleepwalking, he accidentally ends up in bed with Elvira (Antonella Costa), a beautiful woman who practices tantric sex. Taking Eloy under her wing, she teaches him the Tao of sex and the power of “divine bioelectricity.” While sex seems to be Eloy’s way of grieving, and the passionate couplings generate some heat, the drama that plays out between them is boring. Furthermore, the actors naughty talk (Eloy names his penis Marlon, after Brando) sounds ludicrous because Don’t Look Down takes itself too seriously. Neither performer seems to be having much fun on screen, making it hard for viewers to get in the appropriate mood. Still, the attractive actors look good sans clothes. Monday, March 30, 4:30pm, Bridge; Tuesday, March 31, 9:45pm, Ritz 5; Wednesday, April 1, 2:15pm, Ritz 5.
Able
There is more blood and gore than scares and chills in this indie horror film, but it still boasts a few creepy moments. A quarantine has the residents of Berlin either dying or seeking safety as they wait to die. Various stories unfold—all of them slowly. The most interesting has a disabled young woman meeting a stranger who is initially friendly, but soon turns out to be rather fiendish. Another vignette about a Pastor and her dying flock is sinister, however unsatisfying. What exactly is going on has something to do with a virus that disables people, but despite a palpable dystopian atmosphere the statement writer/director Marc Robert is trying to make is muddled. In its favor, Able does look quite stylish. Tuesday March 31, 9:30pm, Ritz East; Thursday, April 2, 9:30pm, Prince.
AroundPhilly Staff
